The Happy Hour

Despite weather conditions that would be considered inclement for the hardiest of ducks, a large audience at Oran Mor turned out to see The Happy Hour written by Anita Vettese and directed by Gethin Evans. This three-hander dealt with the problems thrown up when a family member dies and inheritance is in the offing. Feckless daughter Kay (Hannah Donaldson) and foreign aid worker son Tom (Stephen McCole) are meeting mother Anne (Anne Lacey) in the back room of the soon-to-be-sold pub that was owned by their recently deceased father. It soon transpires that mother Anne has no intention of paying out from the proceeds of the sale to either sibling. Kay has hit hard times due to several disastrous business ventures, a luxury chocolatier shop in a Fife village is mentioned to much audience hilarity, and is desperate for ready cash. Tom has temporarily come back from his job in an African country, where he has put down roots, to help with settling the estate but Anne wants him to stay. As things progress old jealousies and enmities come to the surface. In the end it is apparent that Anne may well be left leading a lonely existence after years of toil in the pub.

Although this tale of family dysfunction could have been somewhat tedious in the wrong hands, it was quite the opposite, due to a really excellent cast and a very witty and believable script. Anne Lacey, in particular, shone, with her impeccable comic timing raising the roof a good few times.The play certainly shone a new light on scattering ashes, never lagging over it’s 45 minutes and the lighting, sound and direction all added to this well-judged piece of work.